30 Nov HOW TO THROW AN OUTRAGEOUS CORPORATE HOLIDAY PARTY

FROM DOOR PRIZES TO LONG ISLAND LIMO RIDES!

It’s that time of year again when the pages on the calendar are dwindling, families are convening for an outrageous amount of food consumption, and the corporate holiday party has its date set and its booze anticipated. You want to show your employees a good time and give them an opportunity to enjoy themselves outside of the rigors of office protocol, and we’ve got the tips to help you make it happen.

Make it a Potluck– The average cost of catering in the Long Island area is roughly $67 a head, effectively taking a large chunk of your corporate party budget. Forgo the catering for a potluck, which will allow your employees a chance to showcase their (or their significant other’s) culinary talents, something they probably don’t get very many chances to do in a corporate environment. Also, a potluck frees all that catering money for door prizes and Wine Tasting Tips for Beginners back home, just in case the revelry gets a little out of hand.

Referee the Revelry– We all know that corporate parties, especially holiday ones, tend to tip a little heavy on the alcohol-indulgence scale. While drinking is a large part of the holiday festivities, and you want your employees to enjoy themselves, sending out a pre-party email with health information for different drinks and a friendly reminder to drink responsibly is both advisable and honorable. The holidays can be a time of indulgence, and everyone needs a little meditation sometimes. To be on the safe side of things, however, you probably want to provide transportation, for a number of reasons.

Your Perfect Atlantic City Night Out– One thing that forgoing a catering service can allow you to do is provide transportation for your employees to and from the festivities. Not only does booking before-and-after transportation allow you the peace of mind in knowing your employees are getting safely to and from the party, but it also allows them the luxury of being ferried more easily and in more distinguished fashion than a cab provides. Also, chances are that the after-party limousine ride will be a hilarious and memorable event for all of your employees, inevitably documented by snapshots on the camera phone.

Create a Great Playlist– Everyone knows that the soundtrack to a party can be the difference between a good time and a mediocre time. If you provide music that your employees like and want to dance to, the fun level can slide up a notch, and the enjoyment level will follow. Ask around the office to find out what everyone listens to so you can provide an eclectic mix of tunes that will suit everyone’s fancy. And of course, don’t forget the staple holiday tunes that will incite memories and those warm and fuzzy holiday feelings we all, even if it’s only secretly, enjoy. If the traditional holiday tunes don’t interest you, look for remixes or new versions covered by contemporary artists; anything to add some spice to the atmosphere will be noticed and appreciated.

Give Good Prizes– The holidays are a great time to be creative with your gift ideas. Making door prize tickets that you hand out to your employees as they enter the party is a great way to give the festivities a solid start. What is most important about the door prize aspect of the party is to provide your employees with prizes that will both like and use. Massages and limousine rides in the city are essentially universal in their appeal, while even wine tastings and cooking classes are ideas that show ambition and thoughtfulness.